PLANNING
If you live in an area that is prone to certain types of natural disaster, planning and preparing for an emergency will help protect you and your family. Take steps to safeguard your home and property. Choose a safe place indoors to take shelter. If hurricanes are a threat, find out where your local shelter is, and assemble essential equipment that may help you survive the aftermath.
Be informed
• Contact your town/city council,TV Radio to find out whether your area is prone to any specific types of disaster. Ask for information about each type.
• If your area is prone to flooding,contact your city/town council to find the height to which a flood could rise.
• Before moving or traveling abroad, find out about potential disaster risks in that area.
• Learn about the effects of disasters that may strike your area.
• Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur around geological fault lines; both can produce tsunamis.
• Hurricanes mostly affect areas around the Atlantic basin and the Pacific basin, where they are known as tropical cyclones.
• Flooding can occur almost anywhere, although the most serious floods are usually caused by very high tides.
•Wildfires occur in many countries –80 percent are started by humans.
• Extreme cold occurs in much of the Northern Hemisphere but many countries experience freezes in winter.
• Contact your town/city council,TV Radio to find out whether your area is prone to any specific types of disaster. Ask for information about each type.
• If your area is prone to flooding,contact your city/town council to find the height to which a flood could rise.
• Before moving or traveling abroad, find out about potential disaster risks in that area.
• Learn about the effects of disasters that may strike your area.
• Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur around geological fault lines; both can produce tsunamis.
• Hurricanes mostly affect areas around the Atlantic basin and the Pacific basin, where they are known as tropical cyclones.
• Flooding can occur almost anywhere, although the most serious floods are usually caused by very high tides.
•Wildfires occur in many countries –80 percent are started by humans.
• Extreme cold occurs in much of the Northern Hemisphere but many countries experience freezes in winter.
Reduce risk
• Take steps now to protect your property against natural disasters.
Your home will be less vulnerable if you take sensible precautions and carry out routine building
maintenance.
• Protect your family by coming up with a family disaster plan and making sure that you are all
prepared for evacuation.
• Always keep abreast of the weather situation and local plans regarding shelters and evacuation.
High risk of seismic activity (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis) High risk of severe climatic conditions (hurricanes, tornadoes, coastal flooding)Areas at risk of extreme cold
PROTECTING YOUR HOME
• Replace cracked or broken slates or tiles on the roof .Check that roof flashings are watertight. If any are loose or damaged, have them repaired or replaced.
• Keep gutters and leaders clear and in good repair.
• If you live in an area prone to tornadoes or hurricanes, install special hurricane shutters.
• Alternatively, install wooden frames on the windows so that you can board them up quickly
• Check and, if necessary, repair any obvious weaknesses, such as cracksin the structure of your house.
• If your area is at risk of flooding, make sure that you have sufficient sandbags to block all potential water entry points, such as externaldoors and vents .
• Ensure that all adults in the home know how to turn off gas, electricity, and water at the main, in case you need to do so quickly.
• Check that you have adequate insurance coverage for damage caused by local disasters.
• Take steps now to protect your property against natural disasters.
Your home will be less vulnerable if you take sensible precautions and carry out routine building
maintenance.
• Protect your family by coming up with a family disaster plan and making sure that you are all
prepared for evacuation.
• Always keep abreast of the weather situation and local plans regarding shelters and evacuation.
High risk of seismic activity (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis) High risk of severe climatic conditions (hurricanes, tornadoes, coastal flooding)Areas at risk of extreme cold
PROTECTING YOUR HOME
• Replace cracked or broken slates or tiles on the roof .Check that roof flashings are watertight. If any are loose or damaged, have them repaired or replaced.
• Keep gutters and leaders clear and in good repair.
• If you live in an area prone to tornadoes or hurricanes, install special hurricane shutters.
• Alternatively, install wooden frames on the windows so that you can board them up quickly
• Check and, if necessary, repair any obvious weaknesses, such as cracksin the structure of your house.
• If your area is at risk of flooding, make sure that you have sufficient sandbags to block all potential water entry points, such as externaldoors and vents .
• Ensure that all adults in the home know how to turn off gas, electricity, and water at the main, in case you need to do so quickly.
• Check that you have adequate insurance coverage for damage caused by local disasters.
PROTECTING YOUR POSSESSIONS
• Make sure that shelves are securely fastened to the wall.
• Keep heavier items on lower shelves so that if a disaster occurs and they fall, they are less likely
to injure anyone.
• If flooding is a risk in your area, keep precious items on higher shelves to protect them from water damage. Alternatively, move your most valuable possessions upstairs.
• Bolt tall pieces of furniture, boilers, and other heavy items to
the wall or floor to ensure that they are stable and secure.
• Install additional devices to secure heavy light fixtures to ceilings.
• Keep a supply of bricks that you can use to raise heavy furniture out of reach of flood water.
• Keep a fire extinguisher and blanket to put out minor house fires.
• Remove any diseased or broken tree branches that could be blown about by high winds. Thin out crowded branches to reduce wind resistance.
• If you live in an area that is prone to wildfire, create a safety zone around your home (p.232).
• During heavy wind seasons, bring indoors or move into the garage any garden furniture or
children’s play equipment that is not anchored to the ground.
Cut off any broken branches before high winds rip them off
• Make sure that shelves are securely fastened to the wall.
• Keep heavier items on lower shelves so that if a disaster occurs and they fall, they are less likely
to injure anyone.
• If flooding is a risk in your area, keep precious items on higher shelves to protect them from water damage. Alternatively, move your most valuable possessions upstairs.
• Bolt tall pieces of furniture, boilers, and other heavy items to
the wall or floor to ensure that they are stable and secure.
• Install additional devices to secure heavy light fixtures to ceilings.
• Keep a supply of bricks that you can use to raise heavy furniture out of reach of flood water.
• Keep a fire extinguisher and blanket to put out minor house fires.
• Remove any diseased or broken tree branches that could be blown about by high winds. Thin out crowded branches to reduce wind resistance.
• If you live in an area that is prone to wildfire, create a safety zone around your home (p.232).
• During heavy wind seasons, bring indoors or move into the garage any garden furniture or
children’s play equipment that is not anchored to the ground.
Cut off any broken branches before high winds rip them off
Some of the essentials which you have to have with you during disasters are Torches with dry cell batteries, Medicines and First aid kit,Matchboxes and cigarette lighter,few clothes, Dry food ration, Drinking water,Cellular phones (Mobile phone ),Notepad with pen,Small steel utensil for boiling and cooking , Swiss army knife and Identity Cards (I.D.).
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